Default Style Register
Daycare.com Forum
Daycare Center and Family Home Forum>All They Want To Do Is Swing!
busymommy0420 10:29 AM 03-13-2012
I have a fabulous fully fenced in playground area for pre-schoolers. It is covered in rubber mulch for safety and making it a mud free zone. I love being outside but all the girls want to do is SWING. I have two swings and two sore arms from the constant pushing. There are many other activities available but no one seems interested. Should I offer more choices? I often say the swings are all done and then just start playing with something myself which then they all follow me to join in but minutes later migrate to the swings. Any thoughts???? My ages are: 2,2,2,3 & 5

Here is what our area has at all times:

Swing set (two swings)
Slide
Colorful climber with slide
Child size bench for sitting
2 Cozy coupes
1 Little tikes big rig
2 Little tikes ride on scooters
2 toy lawn mowers
Sensory table (currently empty usually used for water)
Little tikes blue rocking horse
Little tikes stroller
Little tikes play house
Assorted sand toys (for use in rubber mulch)
Child size large rakes, shovels
Plastic baseball bat and ball
Bubbles
Assorted balls
Sleds/Snow tubes for winter
Sidewalk chalk (to draw on house)
Reply
Hunni Bee 10:36 AM 03-13-2012
Originally Posted by busymommy0420:
I have a fabulous fully fenced in playground area for pre-schoolers. It is covered in rubber mulch for safety and making it a mud free zone. I love being outside but all the girls want to do is SWING. I have two swings and two sore arms from the constant pushing. There are many other activities available but no one seems interested. Should I offer more choices? I often say the swings are all done and then just start playing with something myself which then they all follow me to join in but minutes later migrate to the swings. Any thoughts???? My ages are: 2,2,2,3 & 5

Here is what our area has at all times:

Swing set (two swings)
Slide
Colorful climber with slide
Child size bench for sitting
2 Cozy coupes
1 Little tikes big rig
2 Little tikes ride on scooters
2 toy lawn mowers
Sensory table (currently empty usually used for water)
Little tikes blue rocking horse
Little tikes stroller
Little tikes play house
Assorted sand toys (for use in rubber mulch)
Child size large rakes, shovels
Plastic baseball bat and ball
Bubbles
Assorted balls
Sleds/Snow tubes for winter
Sidewalk chalk (to draw on house)
I wish I had your yard, it sounds awesome!

Id do a couple "no swings" days a week. Just announce it before you go outside, and.get ready to do a ton of redirection, but in time they'll get it. I do that sometimes with the PC, house/mommy-and-baby play and anything they tend to fixate on.
Reply
Meyou 10:54 AM 03-13-2012
I would take the swings down for a while and only bring them out randomly until they find other things they like to do.
Reply
daycare 10:57 AM 03-13-2012
Originally Posted by Meyou:
I would take the swings down for a while and only bring them out randomly until they find other things they like to do.
ditto.. I force mine to explore other things by taking out the things that everyone either fights over, all wants all the time or if that is all they will do.
Reply
newtodaycare22 11:01 AM 03-13-2012
So, can your little ones only do it with your assistance? If so, yea...close them Tue/Thurs or something like that. If they can swing on their own, maybe make Tue/Thurs YOUR no swing day (If they swing, they have to manage on their own. Pump pump pump!)
Reply
MrsB 11:11 AM 03-13-2012
I am with newtodaycare. I dont do any pushing on the swings. Most of my little ones learn the pumping pretty early because of that. We have a sticker chart for good behavior and after they get 20 stickers one of the things they can cash them in for is 5 minutes of pushing during swing time. After they learn to pump they dont usually pick that reward though!
Reply
SilverSabre25 11:25 AM 03-13-2012
I don't push kids on swings.

If they can't do it themselves, they have to find something else to do. They can try, they can play on and with the swings, they can swing themselves on their stomachs if that's the way they can get up there. I have even been known to ignore someone sitting on

I don't play with kids outside much, either. I will throw and catch balls, I will sometimes draw with chalk or splash in water, but that's about it. Otherwise I watch babies and read on my Nook. Or simply soak up the sun and enjoy watching them play.
Reply
Blackcat31 11:40 AM 03-13-2012
Yeah, no way would I push the kids on the swings. I don't care if the kids do swing all day and do nothing else but no way am I pushing them.

Here, you do things yourself or you don't do them.
Reply
SilverSabre25 11:42 AM 03-13-2012
I just want to add that I had this SAME problem until I instituted the "no pushing on the swings" rule. Everyone was miserable until I quit pushing...then everyone was miserable for a few days or a week until they relearned how to play outside. Now they are independent and creative and have a great time.

(just don't start micro-managing how they DO use the swings so that they can figure it out for themselves. I don't allow twisting the swings, but that's about it. I will verbally coax someone in how to swing correctly. My 4 yo can pump so she's a good example, too)
Reply
Blackcat31 11:45 AM 03-13-2012
Originally Posted by SilverSabre25:
I just want to add that I had this SAME problem until I instituted the "no pushing on the swings" rule. Everyone was miserable until I quit pushing...then everyone was miserable for a few days or a week until they relearned how to play outside. Now they are independent and creative and have a great time.

(just don't start micro-managing how they DO use the swings so that they can figure it out for themselves. I don't allow twisting the swings, but that's about it. I will verbally coax someone in how to swing correctly. My 4 yo can pump so she's a good example, too)
LOL!! I do that too! Some days all I hear in my head is "In! now Out! In and now Out! Great you are doing it! Now in! and Out!!"
Reply
cheerfuldom 11:50 AM 03-13-2012
sounds like they are just fighting for that one on one attention. I would disconnect the swings and put them away for now.
Reply
SilverSabre25 11:52 AM 03-13-2012
Originally Posted by Blackcat31:
LOL!! I do that too! Some days all I hear in my head is "In! now Out! In and now Out! Great you are doing it! Now in! and Out!!"
I say, "Kick forward! Back! Forward! Back!" or, "Your legs kick forward when you swing forward, and back when you swing back!"
Reply
Soupyszoo 12:54 PM 03-13-2012
I would let them play wherever they want! Your yard sounds great! Stop pushing them and maybe they will get owed and move on
Reply
Soupyszoo 12:57 PM 03-13-2012
That was supposed to be "bored" not "owed"... Stupid auto correct
Reply
SunshineMama 01:02 PM 03-13-2012
Mine are the same way- similar ages.

I tell them that I will push them for a little bit and then they have to go run and play. They all understand
Reply
itlw8 01:03 PM 03-13-2012
my 2 1/2 yr olds can all pump/ I would not push anyone. the littles can swing on their tummies. use a time to take turns and stop pushing. They will still love the swings but YOU can do other things.
Reply
DCBlessings27 02:24 PM 03-13-2012
I had a similar problem once I got the swingset last summer. They all fought over the swings. So, I just stopped pushing them. They've learned to get on their tummies or swing alone and do so just fine. I have almost all the same stuff as the OP. My playset is a really large one with a playhouse attached on one end. They love the play house. I also have a picnic table, 3 cozy coupes, trikes, shopping cart, 2 colorful slide/climbers, mowers, wagons, etc. With all the other toys, I didn't understand why they all wanted to swing.

I stay with them on the pea gravel play area for awhile while they play then wander to my patio and they migrate over to play with the cars and other toys. Occasionally I will push for a little while and give everyone a turn. Then, I "turn" pushing off; I just stop and say no more for the day. I've been known to ask them play "dumb" and ask them to show me how the slide works. They get excited to climb up onto the area and wave to me before going down the slide. My playset looks like this one except with a playhouse instead of climbing area. http://www.swing-n-slide.com/178-Loo...-Play-Set.aspx
Reply
Blackcat31 02:28 PM 03-13-2012
Originally Posted by Soupyszoo:
I would let them play wherever they want! Your yard sounds great! Stop pushing them and maybe they will get owed and move on
Originally Posted by Soupyszoo:
That was supposed to be "bored" not "owed"... Stupid auto correct
I thought you were trying to say "mowed" as in "mowed over" when the little ones walk in front of the big ones while swinging!
Reply
MrsB 03:16 PM 03-13-2012
Originally Posted by Blackcat31:
I thought you were trying to say "mowed" as in "mowed over" when the little ones walk in front of the big ones while swinging!
I'm glad I am not the only one that thought that! Sounded like a good plan to me.
Reply
daycare 03:20 PM 03-13-2012
Originally Posted by katieica:
I had a similar problem once I got the swingset last summer. They all fought over the swings. So, I just stopped pushing them. They've learned to get on their tummies or swing alone and do so just fine. I have almost all the same stuff as the OP. My playset is a really large one with a playhouse attached on one end. They love the play house. I also have a picnic table, 3 cozy coupes, trikes, shopping cart, 2 colorful slide/climbers, mowers, wagons, etc. With all the other toys, I didn't understand why they all wanted to swing.

I stay with them on the pea gravel play area for awhile while they play then wander to my patio and they migrate over to play with the cars and other toys. Occasionally I will push for a little while and give everyone a turn. Then, I "turn" pushing off; I just stop and say no more for the day. I've been known to ask them play "dumb" and ask them to show me how the slide works. They get excited to climb up onto the area and wave to me before going down the slide. My playset looks like this one except with a playhouse instead of climbing area. http://www.swing-n-slide.com/178-Loo...-Play-Set.aspx
how do you allow play time on that kind of a set? I would freak out that one of the kids would fall off of the top area or one would get pushed off? Or as other mentioned get mowed over by the swingers?? (not sure what that means?) Knocked over??
Reply
Blackcat31 03:22 PM 03-13-2012
Originally Posted by daycare:
Or as other mentioned get mowed over by the swingers?? (not sure what that means?) Knocked over??
yep....mowed over=knocked down

...you are getting really good at interpreting all this slang stuff !!
Reply
nannyde 03:25 PM 03-13-2012
I don't have outdoor play equipment so I don't have any experience with the swing thing but I do know as a general child care rule that whenever the kids are fixating on ANYTHING I'm doing the wrong thing.

If you watch what they highly covet you will see within it something you are doing wrong. If they insisit on anything and if they guard any resource you are doing it wrong. If they require an adult for their minute to minute happiness you are doing it wrong. If anything in their environment hinders them from true FREE play you are doing it wrong. The VAST majority of their minute to minute needs to be what they can do with each other and by themselves. That's how nature designed them. We just get in the way with nature and our mistakes become their fixations.
Reply
DCBlessings27 03:44 PM 03-13-2012
Originally Posted by daycare:
how do you allow play time on that kind of a set? I would freak out that one of the kids would fall off of the top area or one would get pushed off? Or as other mentioned get mowed over by the swingers?? (not sure what that means?) Knocked over??
The kids I have in care are 13months,2,3,3,3, & 4. The older ones know not to swing if the 13month is near the swing area. He is not allowed on the playset. As to the tower, I tell them that they have to take turns before climbing up. I don't allow more than 2 at a time on the top deck. I only allow sliding down on bottoms. I haven't had any trouble with the kids pushing on it or falling.
Reply
JenNJ 04:27 PM 03-13-2012
If they obsess over the swings, I close them down for the day. Same goes for slide, baseball, chalk, etc. If fights erupt or arguing starts, I close it down.
Reply
Crystal 04:54 PM 03-13-2012
I'm completely opposite about the "obsessing" with the swings. I have four kids who LOVE the swings. Inevitably two get the swings the second we step outside, and they usually swing the entire time we are outdoors. There are times that they give up their swing because they want to, but I never make them.....just as with any other toy, if they had it, they don't have to "share" it until they are finished with it. I also never have any arguments over the swings because they are used to the hard and fast rule of "if you want it, you ask for it, if they say no, let em' know you want it when they are done"

I allow it because they are my little thrill seekers and giving them unlimited access to the swings tends to calm them. They also thoroughly enjoy swinging, I LOVE to hear their squeals of delight and their exctiement when they reach the highest point they can swing. They taught themselves by 2 years old how to pump their legs ( I don't push them) and I have no desire to control their behavior over swings if there is no fighting, pushing, shoving, etc. to get one.
Reply
SilverSabre25 04:58 PM 03-13-2012
Originally Posted by Crystal:
I'm completely opposite about the "obsessing" with the swings. I have four kids who LOVE the swings. Inevitably two get the swings the second we step outside, and they usually swing the entire time we are outdoors. There are times that they give up their swing because they want to, but I never make them.....just as with any other toy, if they had it, they don't have to "share" it until they are finished with it. I also never have any arguments over the swings because they are used to the hard and fast rule of "if you want it, you ask for it, if they say no, let em' know you want it when they are done"

I allow it because they are my little thrill seekers and giving them unlimited access to the swings tends to calm them. They also thoroughly enjoy swinging, I LOVE to hear their squeals of delight and their exctiement when they reach the highest point they can swing. They taught themselves by 2 years old how to pump their legs ( I don't push them) and I have no desire to control their behavior over swings if there is no fighting, pushing, shoving, etc. to get one.


I handle things this exact same way, with any toy. I do remind the "haver" that someone else is waiting for the swing/toy/book/etc, but it is still up to them.

Unfortunately most of my dcps (all of my dcps I think!) handle sharing the "traditional" way. "She wants it, you have to share!" so they relinquish something the instant someone asks. *sigh*
Reply
mac60 05:06 PM 03-13-2012
I can't imagine that amount of stuff in my backyard. I don't think my neighbors would be too happy with it and my hubby would not want to mow around it. I also don't have swings anymore due to kids getting hit by swingers. It only took a couple years of doing childcare to figure out that swings and a group of preschoolers don't mix well. I personally don't feel that little ones need all that "stuff" to play. Even today the daycare kids here have a lot more "stuff" than my own kids ever did. As far as swinging them, I wouldn't do it either. They would either have to learn themselves or find something else to do.
Reply
busymommy0420 06:07 PM 03-14-2012
Originally Posted by nannyde:
I don't have outdoor play equipment so I don't have any experience with the swing thing but I do know as a general child care rule that whenever the kids are fixating on ANYTHING I'm doing the wrong thing.

If you watch what they highly covet you will see within it something you are doing wrong. If they insisit on anything and if they guard any resource you are doing it wrong. If they require an adult for their minute to minute happiness you are doing it wrong. If anything in their environment hinders them from true FREE play you are doing it wrong. The VAST majority of their minute to minute needs to be what they can do with each other and by themselves. That's how nature designed them. We just get in the way with nature and our mistakes become their fixations.
Sorry but I took this as very harsh! I do not feel I am doing anything WRONG by kindly pushing the two year olds. I will take the others advice and maybe put the swings away for a bit. Children learn from example and can't just be left to figure everything out themselves. I like to show LOVE, patience and nurture to my daughters and the kids I care for.
Reply
busymommy0420 06:10 PM 03-14-2012
Originally Posted by mac60:
I can't imagine that amount of stuff in my backyard. I don't think my neighbors would be too happy with it and my hubby would not want to mow around it. I also don't have swings anymore due to kids getting hit by swingers. It only took a couple years of doing childcare to figure out that swings and a group of preschoolers don't mix well. I personally don't feel that little ones need all that "stuff" to play. Even today the daycare kids here have a lot more "stuff" than my own kids ever did. As far as swinging them, I wouldn't do it either. They would either have to learn themselves or find something else to do.
I love having a variety. I have a small area all fenced in with no grass, all rubber mulch so no maintenance. The fence is four feet high so no one can see a single colorful item at all. It is the perfect playground within my .50 acre yard.
Reply
nannyde 06:55 PM 03-14-2012
Originally Posted by busymommy0420:
Sorry but I took this as very harsh! I do not feel I am doing anything WRONG by kindly pushing the two year olds. I will take the others advice and maybe put the swings away for a bit. Children learn from example and can't just be left to figure everything out themselves. I like to show LOVE, patience and nurture to my daughters and the kids I care for.
Oh I didn't mean it in a harsh way. It's just MY philosophy. I should have worded it with "I" instead of "you". I started it out right and then switched to "you".

I'll try it again:

I don't have outdoor play equipment so I don't have any experience with the swing thing but I do know as a general child care rule that whenever the kids are fixating on ANYTHING I'm doing the wrong thing.

If I watch what they highly covet I see within it something I'm doing wrong. If they insisit on anything and if they guard any resource I'm doing it wrong. If they require an adult for their minute to minute happiness I'm doing it wrong. If anything in their environment hinders them from true FREE play I'm doing it wrong. The VAST majority of their minute to minute needs to be what they can do with each other and by themselves. That's how nature designed them. We just get in the way with nature and our mistakes become their fixations.


So within MY system of supervision and correction I use this philosophy.
Reply
Heidi 07:02 PM 03-14-2012
Originally Posted by SilverSabre25:
I don't push kids on swings.

If they can't do it themselves, they have to find something else to do. They can try, they can play on and with the swings, they can swing themselves on their stomachs if that's the way they can get up there. I have even been known to ignore someone sitting on

I don't play with kids outside much, either. I will throw and catch balls, I will sometimes draw with chalk or splash in water, but that's about it. Otherwise I watch babies and read on my Nook. Or simply soak up the sun and enjoy watching them play.
Gosh, I thought I was the only one! I once heard a Montessori teacher say "when your body is ready for it..." I love that. I DO NOT push on swings, I do not put children on climbers. If they can get up, they can get down ( I will, however, encourage...you can do it, I know you can!).

I remember my now 19 yo suckering other parents at the playground into pushing him...lol..."Mean mommy" would not do it.

I also remember him swinging on his tummy. I think that must feel a bit like flying....
Reply
SilverSabre25 07:06 PM 03-14-2012
Originally Posted by bbo:
Gosh, I thought I was the only one! I once heard a Montessori teacher say "when your body is ready for it..." I love that. I DO NOT push on swings, I do not put children on climbers. If they can get up, they can get down ( I will, however, encourage...you can do it, I know you can!).

I remember my now 19 yo suckering other parents at the playground into pushing him...lol..."Mean mommy" would not do it.

I also remember him swinging on his tummy. I think that must feel a bit like flying....
Oh tummy swinging is awesome!

And I love the Montessori philosophy; I never realized that not pushing them/letting them do it when THEY are ready was Montessori, but now that you mention it, it's obvious!

(I remember swinging on my tummy, it's a lot of fun. I also loved twisting the swing up and spinning, and straddling it and riding it like a horse )
Reply
Heidi 07:15 PM 03-14-2012
Originally Posted by SilverSabre25:
Oh tummy swinging is awesome!

And I love the Montessori philosophy; I never realized that not pushing them/letting them do it when THEY are ready was Montessori, but now that you mention it, it's obvious!

(I remember swinging on my tummy, it's a lot of fun. I also loved twisting the swing up and spinning, and straddling it and riding it like a horse )
YES! and it was so cool when your feet could touch the ground, you could pump, and then, ironically, the next thing is learning to jump off as far as you can! I felt like an Olympian when I could "stick" a landing off the swings or with a "penny drop" off the horizontal bars. Thanks for reminding me!
Reply
Heidi 07:18 PM 03-14-2012
Originally Posted by mac60:
I can't imagine that amount of stuff in my backyard. I don't think my neighbors would be too happy with it and my hubby would not want to mow around it. I also don't have swings anymore due to kids getting hit by swingers. It only took a couple years of doing childcare to figure out that swings and a group of preschoolers don't mix well. I personally don't feel that little ones need all that "stuff" to play. Even today the daycare kids here have a lot more "stuff" than my own kids ever did. As far as swinging them, I wouldn't do it either. They would either have to learn themselves or find something else to do.
When I was 5, I was at a playground on one of those swinging horse-things. A toddler ran in front of me, and I mowed him right over. I am 47 years old, and I can still remember how his mother screamed at me for being a terrible, mean little girl!

I was apparently supposed to stop in mid air...... funny what you remember. Luckily, she didn't ruin swinging for me entirely, but I do remember going home crying.
Reply
Tags:play area, play area - outdoor, playground - equipment, swing
Reply Up